The further and continuing adventures of the girl who sat in the back of your homeroom, reading and daydreaming.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Red Jacket Press

"Yesterday's books for today's reader," it says right there on their webpage; also there, Wilmar H. Shiras's Children Of The Atom. The book -- more a collection of closely related novellas -- opens with In Hiding, a deeply moving story about a child who is more than he seems and probably the most anthologized work by Ms. Shiras. Interested? You can order the book via the Amazon link at Tam's -- it costs you just the same but helps her out.

The book is uncommon at used-book stores despite at least four editions (Gnome Press, a delightfully illustrated version from Pennyfarthing Press,[1] Nelson Doubleday and now Red Jacket Press), possibly because, like Terry Pratchett's books, those who have a copy, keep it. If you happen to own the Pennyfarthing Press edition, you'll find a few drawings include what could well be a young Roberta X: a little girl in big, round eyeglasses, hair pulled back, sitting tailor-fashion with a book in her lap, looking out at the world with a skeptical expression.[2]

I stumbled onto the publisher by way of Frederik Pohl's blog, q.v.._______________1. Late -- gone, in fact -- of San Francisco and not to be confused with comic-book publisher Penny-Farthing Press2. Though the text describes her as "plump," the artist didn't see her that way. The character is every bit as notional as I was at that age, though altogether more talented and accomplished.

True enough, at least as far as it goes. He was also a pretty good friend to the Heinleins and if you read the blog, you'll find at least non-partisan, impassioned plea for people to get involved in local politics: he's the kind of guy who will get along with other people, even when their own opinions diverge from his.

Gnome Press was the original publisher of Asimov's "Foundation" series. The author was frustrated by their seeming inability and/or apathy in getting his work out to the public. I guess he wasn't the only one so affected.

"I saw to what extent the people among whom I lived could be trusted as good neighbors and friends; that their friendship was for summer weather only; that they did not greatly propose to do right; that they were a distinct race from me by their prejudices and superstitions."